Coking process



Nov.. 2 1926;.

F. W. SPERR, JR

COKING PROCESS Original Filed sept. 12I '191s jme/2lb? Patented Nov. 2, 1926..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. y

FREDERICK w. SPERE, JR., E PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AssreNon To THE xoPPERS COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

Cozmo PROCESS.

Application led September 12, 1915, Serial No.' 258,684. Renewed October 15, 1924.

My invention relates to processes for coking liqueiiable bituminous material, and has for a primary object the production of lowash coke from pitch in a substantially continuous mass-treatment process, but may also `be applicable to other liqueflablebitu` minous materials such as tar, asphalt, petroleum residue, etc.; and the invention has for other objects such other improvements l0 or advantages of method and operation as may be found to obtain in the processes hereinafter described and claimed.

i ln the accompanying drawings, showing in a conventional manner a form of apl5 paratus that may be employed, in practicmg the process, without limiting the invention to such specific illustrative embodiment, Fig. 1 is a conventional vertical section through a series of vertical masonry retorts` adapted to the practice of the processes, and

Fig. 2, is a conventional vertical section" taken at right angles to Fig. 1, throughfa battery of series of such retorts. Like reference numerals indicate like parts in-l all oi'4 the drawings.

The vertical retorts 10 are formed with masonry partitions 8 masonry walls 9 containing horizontal heating-iues 11, 12, 13 and 14, the successively lower flues being l adapted to be maintained at successively higher temperatures, so that the upper zones of the retorts are less highly heated than the zones down toward andsomewhat below their middle. The bottom zone of the retort is below the level of the lowest heating Hue, so that the coked material toward the Abottom of the retort will cool somewhat as it reaches the rotary discharge devicel that forms the discharge-bottom of the retort' and delivers the coke upon the conveyor 16. Each retort is capped with a lid 17 and has an outlet 18 to carry off the evolved gasses and vapors, such outlets of rows of theretorts being in series and leading to the collecting main 1,9.

s ln starting operation, each retort is filled to about the level 20 with ordinary' coke. The liqueiiable bituminous material, such as pitch, is liquefied, or kept liquid, in the tank' 21, heated with the steam coils 22, and the melted pitch is led from such tank through the pipe 23 that has branches. 24 extending downward through the lids of the retorts and each controlledf by a valve 25. The liquid pitch is kallowed to aow inw the retorts, penetrating into the coke mass andA forming a rather thick layer on top of it, up to the level 26. This zone, from level 26, down to level 20, is maintained at just about the frothing temperature of the pitch and in this zone there is effected the initial ebullition and intumescence of the pitch and its coking is started. By operation of the discharge device, the coke is discharged from the bottom yof the coke mass, and, as the mass sinks, the forming coke derived from the pitch settles lower in the retort and is subjected to the higher temperatures from the lower and hotter heating ues, thus completing the coking after the pitch mass has undergone the initial frothing stage that commonly creates difficulty in treating pitch in retorts. The level of the top of the retort charge is maintained by the running in of melted pitch from the supply tank. When the apparatus is incomplet-e operation, each retort will thus be .lille l, and maintained filled, with the pitch and the forming coke thereform, and the process will be carried on in a substantially continuous manne-r, the distillation and carbonization being eEected as `rapidly as possible and yielding a pure pitch-coke.

To facilitate the discharge of the coke,

which? may be somewhat impeded by the forming of large coke cakes in the lower' part ot the retort, the 4coke mass may be given a more or less stratified character by introducing at intervals, through the holes 27 in the retort lids, pulverized Solid carbonaceous material, to form planes of weakness or cleavage, in the pitch coke.l These holes 27 may also be utilized as inspection holes. l l

' A like continuous process may alsQ be practiced by maintaining'all of the heating ues at substantially the same temperature, instead of graduating their heat as above described.

The foaming stage, is passed soon after the pitch is introduced into the upper part of the retort, and the troublesome eliects of violent foaming areobviated and are prevented from interfering with the forming of the coke -and the uniform operation of the carbonizing chamber, without need for vary ing the heats during the coking process.

The invention is hereinabover set forth in a preferred manner in which it vmay bel practiced, but it may of course be practiced 'esses hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a process of coking liquefiable bituminous material; liquefyin'g said material, feeding it upon the top of a coking mass of such material, progressively sinking said coking mass into zones of successively higher temperature, and withdrawing the finished colte from the bottom of such mass; substantially as specified.

2. In a process of coking liquefiable bituminous material: liquefying said material, feeding it into a progressively coking mass of such material, shifting the aforesaid progressively coking massl from such feed toward the discharge of the finished `coke and discharging the finished coke at a point remote from that at which the liquified material is fed to the progressively moving coking mass; substantially as specified.

3. In a process of coking liquefiable bituminous material; liquefying said material and feeding it into a zone of moderate temperature to effect the initial ebullition and intuniescence and start the forming of the' coke, and then progressively shifting the forming coke and subjecting it to higher temperatures until its` formation is completed, and withdrawing the finished coke from the final heating zone; substantially as specified.

4. In a process of coking liquefiable bi'- tuminous material; liquefying such material and @ding it upon a^mass of coke subjected to hea that eects the initial ebullition and intumescence of such liquefied material and starts the coking of it, shifting the aforesaid mass of coke and the forming coke, while subjected to cokin heat, towards the discharge of the finis ed coke, and maintaining the feeding of the liquefied material upon the forming coke 'and discharging the finished coke at "a point remote from that at which the liquifed material is fed to the progressively moving coking mass; substantially as` specified.

5. In a process of coking liquefied bituminous material: the continuous feeding in and coking of the said liquefied material in mass, with continuous discharge of the finished coke from the mass; substantially as specified. r

6. In a process of coking liquefiable bituminous material: liquefying said material and feeding it upon the forming coke and discharging the finished coke, and intermittently feeding into the coking mass, as it shifts towards its discharge, solid carbonaceous material, to form cleavage strata in the coke, substantially as specified.

7. In a process of coking liquefiable bituminous material: liquefying said material and feeding it upon a coking mass of said material andv shifting said mass towards the discharge of the finished coke, the feeding and discharging being gauged to maintain the coking-mass at a nearly constant level anddischarging the finished coke at a point remote from that at Awhich the liquified material is fed to the progressively moving coking mass, substantially as specified.

8. In a process of coking liquefiable bituminous material: liquefying said material, feeding it upon the top of a colring mass of such material, progressively sinking said coking mass vertically into zones of succes sively higher temperature, and withdrawing the finished coke from the bottom of such mass; substantially as specified.

9. In a process of coking liquifiableibituminous material: forming a coking col* umn of such material, feeding a bituminous material in liquid form upon the top of said colring mass, progressively sinking said coking mass into zones of successively higher temperature, this being done by the application of a distilling heat as distinguished from a coke-consuming heat, and then withdrawing the finished coke from time 'to time from such mass.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. v

FREDERICK W. SPERR, JR. 

